Sticks july aug 2013

Issue 12 July/August 2013

In this edition of the Sticks Exclusive interview with the Bay City Rollers lead singer Les McKeown BBC Radio 2’s Janey Lee Grace offers her Mum & Baby tips We road test the Mazda Tourer 2.2D (150) SE-L Nav The latest Kippings Food Column, a review of Lytton’s Restaurant And much more Plus pages of events listings across Herts, Beds & Bucks

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Welcome to the July/August edition of the Sticks magazine!

The most talked about magazine in Herts, Beds & Bucks With over 16,000 readers a month

In this double issue: Exclusive interview with Les McKeown What is Chickenshed?

Social Media - DOHR Kippings Food Column Road Test - Mazda Tourer 2.2D (150) SE-L Janey Lee Grace column Restaurant Review – Lytton’s Listings - Herts, Beds & Bucks

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Contributors: Janey Lee Grace, Martin Wilson, Terry Sullivan Donna Obstfeld

See you in September Editor & Sales: Layout and design:

Terry Sullivan Martin Wilson

Tel: 07756 274444 Email: thesticks9@gmail.com www.the-sticks.co.uk Follow us on twitter @thesticks9 www.facebook.com/sticksmag

Listen to The Sticks radio show at 10am on Mondays on Secklow Sounds www.secklowsounds.org

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Rolling Back the Years with Our Exclusive Interview with Bay City Rollers Front Man Les McKeown

In the 1970’s The Bay City Rollers were the biggest teen band across the UK with their distinctive sound and their tartan look. Les McKeown was the lead singer and front man.

The Sticks recently spoke to Les about his days in the Rollers and so much more So the Bay City Rollers (BCR) are remembered by a lot of people with a great deal of affection and in a positive light?

“I don’t know, I live in my own little world, so it all seems to be happening pretty well, people seem to remember BCR in Canada, America, Japan, and Australia also Scotland, England and Wales. I suppose you had to have been there in order to be still be involved or connected to BCR and their music. It’s a great experience going out on stage, for instance we were in Canada recently and we were doing a tour of the casinos, one of the casinos called Casino Rama, (which incorporates the catchment area of Toronto) was where we recorded one of our huge albums called Dedication, so we have a big fan base there, (in fact the fans had been emailing me asking us to go there for years). On this tour we turned up at Casino Rama and there was 5,219 tickets sold that was an overage of 19 people, so we were in our element thinking all these people love the BCR and our music. We went out there and rocked the night away and the rest of the tour sold out so we are on cloud nine really, well I am anyway” “I made a lot of bad decisions 20 years ago with the drugs & the drink then at the end of 2008 I got my head fixed in Passages Clinic in Malibu of all places, 4 months of rehabilitation. I came out of there with a strong desire and will to live and do things, positive things and part of my rehab was to focus on positive things that have happened in my life. Of course I thought the most positive that has happened to me was the first couple of years in the BCR, so I focused on that and it sort of took on its own sort of energy, the fans found out I was back singing all the hits-in the right key, all the harmonies and sounding good. Making the music sound almost as it does on the record, putting on a good positive show is why I called the show “The Bay City Rollers Story starring Les McKeown” and that has been going ever since I came out of rehab, with tours up and down the country and has been getting more and more popular.”

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“I first started with a show titled “Rollermania” and that was a great success but it is all about promotion as well, the kind of thing we are doing right now is great to let the people know we are coming possibly to a theatre near them, but of course they are disconnected in one sense that they are grown up mature people now but when they come to my gigs they go back to being 13 again.

Are you getting the younger generation at the shows? “I am getting the Mums, the Dads and the kids but they leave the dog at the door. Like I said, it is a very special moment in people’s lives.”

I guess you were the first boyband? “Well we were a boyband before the terminology or before it was christened. They used to say we were the next Beatles but that was a bit of an overstatement. As far as the fan appeal we had a similar thing to the Beatles but of course the song writing capabilities weren’t the same.”

What were you doing before you joined the BCR? “I was invited to leave school when I was 15 and after I left I joined my first band that was called “Threshold” and that was the only other band I have ever been in.”

You were not the original lead sing with the BCR? “I joined them in November 1973 and they had had a hit as “The Bay City Rollers” it was a cover of The Gentrys “Keep on Dancing” and it got to I believe number 7 in the charts and was produced by the famous or infamous Jonathan King. In those days very few bands got to play on their songs and on that hit were session guys plus Nobby Clark the singer and, according to Jonathan King, about 20 of him singing on it but never mind - it was a jolly good tune and it got into the charts. So the guys were at the top of the charts and on “Top of the Pops”. I believe, they thought that was it, their career had really taken off but the next single, again with Jonathan King, flopped and then they moved to Howard and Blakely who started to produce them and wrote songs for them, I think a total of seven songs including a tune called “Saturday Night” which was a song from the new writers Phil Coulter and Bill Martin which was also released and flopped.

They were doing a song called “Remember” around about the time that Nobby decided that the band was going nowhere and went to try his luck as a solo artist, then they were looking for someone to put in the band who had a bit of a brass neck, a bit of confidence, a good front man. They looked around the local scene and I had a little bit of a following with “Threshold” - at the time we did all the covers of the current hits, we would listen to the charts on Radio Luxemburg on Sunday and by Wednesday night we would have all the top 5 in our set list and I was picking up my £25 per night and everyone was happy. I got invited to join the BCR so I joined them and we went touring down to London with Tam Paton (the manager) in his big car and we got the stamp of authority from Bell Records. We met their producers and song writers and they had me up on stage to sing “Remember” to a backing track and they all loved it and said right he’s the one. They had me stay in London and re-voice all the songs, I even re-voiced “Keep on Dancing” also “Remember”, “Saturday Night” and “Summer Love Sensation”

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“It was great I had never been in a recording studio before, it was a great experience, and I just jumped in like I normally do in the deep end to see if I would float.”

Did it feel strange to join a line up that was already established? “Yes a bit, the band had been founded by Alan & Derek Longmuir and they had in the line up Davey Paton (who went on to perform in the group Pilot). Davey had written the hit “January” when in the BCR and the management and record company rejected it, which was amazing and a big mistake as it turned out.”

How did it feel during the “Rollermania” era when you had girls chasing you all over the country?

“Good, it was absolutely great, we were young and impressionable. I had more or less been thrown out of school straight into a rock and roll band, it was a completely different world, my mates were desperately trying to get hold of some girl and I was trying to keep them away - the opposite effect! I know it sounds very egotistical, but it has a huge effect on your ego, your libido and you run the risk of believing your own publicity and we are all guilty of that at one time or another. It was very, very strange but it was normal to us. It was a progression, it did not happen overnight but it happened over the year 1974, when we got on the TV, “Crackerjack” I think it was, and Jackie magazine started taking pictures of us one thing lead to another. The first gigs I did with the BCR were late nights at working mens clubs and stuff like that where it was really smoky and the audience were not that interested in us but they all had knowledge of “Keep on Dancing” so when that song came on they would get up and pay attention.

Of course we did a lot of covers back then as well, but when we had been on TV we started getting gigs in the afternoon and then playing the clubs in the evening. We were young and full of beans so we were ok with that then, I cant believe how much work we used to do, we used to just sleep in transit, don’t think we ever slept in the hotels we were always in transit somewhere. I can only say that they were great times. The first couple of years were like heaven on earth and I would not want to change that even though the following 25 years were pretty much hellish”.

Whose idea was the tartan outfits etc.? “It all started from letters, pictures and drawings that the fans sent in to the fan club. We had the tartan scarves and shirts sold in Scotland’s 70’s version of Primark. One or two girls got together, as they do, and had drawn an A3 size poster of us in what became the iconic BCR costume, so it really was what you would call a grass roots thing. Not only was it eye-catching and gimmicky but also money friendly. We were the working class version of pop stars.”

You were one of the first groups to have you own TV show in the UK “Yes that was great. It was called “Shang-A-Lang” and was produced by a lovely lady Muriel Young; we did 20 shows and is still very popular on the DVD market and YouTube. Then we had “Bye Bye Baby” which was our first number one in May 1975 followed by "Give A Little Love" in the July.

We could not believe it but I don’t think we were as prolific as we could had been but the record company wanted us to play live and appear on TV all over Europe and the World. I am not complaining, but it was very tiring but we travelled first class with limos -6-

etc. everywhere. We wanted to develop as a band, record some different types of music and just grow up, we had a plan but the record company and management had different ideas.

You left the band in 1978 what was the reason for that? “There were a whole lot of background reasons, we went to America, and although it is a great place it did have the catalytic effect of breaking us up in a way. I was enjoying myself I was like a kid in a sweet shop and I just wanted to eat everything, I was a young guy so why not. I am thinking about putting the band back together again, I thought about it when I saw The Eagles documentary recently and how they got together after all the differences. I still chat and see Alan, Derek and Woody and it would be good to do the big arenas again, even if only for a few years.”

When you left the band you had an addiction to drink and drugs “Yes, I did have a big problem with drink and drugs at the time, the major one being I could not get enough of them. It was a slow descent in to a personal hell that I went through, I did not realise that was what I was doing at the time. I just thought the world’s rubbish, I am rubbish and that is what a lot of people who are addicted to things tend to feel, low selfesteem and all those kind of things - for what reason no one knows. I have done my thing and come out the other side, just being honest with myself and forgiving people for the indiscretions and putting it all behind me and getting on with a positive outlook for the future. Playing live on stage helps me with that and also keeps me pushing myself, I am organising my whole life now, not some faceless manager - I do it all myself and it feels great. I am lucky the damage I did to my body was quite limited.”

See Les McKeown in The Bay City Rollers Story Wednesday 18th September – Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage Thursday 19th September – Aylesbury Waterside Wednesday 25th September – Bedford Corn Exchange Thursday 17th October – Watford Colosseum Friday 8th November – Harpenden Halls www.lesmckeown.com

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What is Chickenshed?

It is about now that many of you busy mums are thinking about how to entertain their children during the school summer holidays. Think no further!!!

Chickenshed has the solution. We are running two different week long performance workshops for young people – and they will love it.

The first group of workshops are called Summer Shed for children aged 5 – 12 years. Week one runs from Monday 29 July until Friday 2 August and Week two from Monday 5 August until Friday 9 August. The workshops are at 10am until 4pm each day. Children are asked to bring a packed lunch and snacks and they will be supervised

by Chickenshed staff during the breaks.

Our workshops are huge fun and everyone is welcome regardless of experience. During the week the children will explore and develop a wide range of performance skills that involve drama, dance, singing and story-making. At the end of the week parents and friends will be invited in on the final afternoon to see a performance that has been created during the week. Summer Shed costs £130 each week and there will be a 50% discount for siblings.

Our second set of workshops is something completely different! We are inviting children ages 6 – 10 years to be a part of our exciting summer show. Children will come to workshops from Monday to Wednesday and then will perform in at least three performances of Fairies’ Tales, our spectacular summer extravaganza. Again the workshops are split into two week long sessions. Week one is from Monday 29 July until Saturday 3 August and Week two is from Monday 5 August until Saturday 10 August. The workshops from Monday to Wednesday are from 10am until 12.30pm. On Thursday and Friday the children will be asked to attend from 9am until 12.30pm and on Saturday from 9am until 2pm. Our Tales Workshops cost £70 per week.

Fairies’ Tale is an exciting show for boy, girls and their parents/carers will love it too! The story takes us to Midsummer’s Eve, the most magical time of the year, when the fairy world and human world collide and so begins an adventure with impish sprites, boisterous boggarts, fairies-with-attitude and some rather set in their ways ‘grown up’ humans!

To book the workshops please contact the Chickenshed box office 020 8292 9222, email bookings@chickenshed.org.uk or visit our website www.chickenshed.org.uk

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by Donna Obstfeld

Social Media Love it or hate it, social media is a reality and here to stay. Many businesses are now embracing social media as a core element of their marketing mix and although take up has been higher within SMEs larger companies are quickly catching up.

In this article, we are reflecting on the HR implications of social media for businesses, firstly as a recruitment tool, then as a work tool and finally when things go wrong.

The use of LinkedIn specifically, and social media generally as a way of attracting the right candidates has grown significantly over the last couple of years. With candidates updating their CV on line with work history, achievements and recommendations, recruiters are able to find out a lot more about people than the candidate might want to give away i.e. who they are connected to, books they have read, groups and discussions that they have joined.

LinkedIn enables recruiters to post jobs into groups so even people not actually job hunting will have the opportunity to see the advert and may decide to find out more.

Other tools such as Facebook and Twitter can also be used to raise the company's profile or awareness of the vacancy.

As a work tool, the most effective social media site for your business will depend on the nature, products and services of the business. In the majority of cases it will not be the managing director or the chief executive who are making use of the tools. Therefore a high element of trust is required as staff are allowed and required to post on behalf of the company.

A further complication is when staff are using their own accounts and perhaps expressing views which are not those of the company. There are a growing number of employees who have been fired as a result of comments posted on their own social media accounts that managers, colleagues and even customers have found offensive. While the comments of MPs and celebrities make it into the headlines, the normal employee and their employer are finding themselves in front of an employment tribunal.

As an employer, make sure that you have a policy with respect to social media, use of sites for work purposes and use of sites for personal use both during the day and in the employees own time.

As an employee, you must be aware of what you say online. It is not a private letter, your comments are immortalised forever and can be held against you. Just because you can make comments about people online, doesn't mean you should. www.dohr.co.uk 01923 504100

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Win a Family Ticket to See LP Creative’s ‘Treasure Island’ Choose either tickets for The Hawthorne Theatre, Welwyn Garden City on Saturday 10th August or Leighton Buzzard Theatre on Monday/Tuesday 12/13th August See Jim Hawkins, Billy Bones, old Ben Gunn, the ghost of Captain Flint, Seadog Sally and of course Long John Silver star in lots of adventures in a show packed with action, singing, cheering and booing, puppets, lots of colourful costumes, and maybe even a monkey or two!

The show is the brainchild of popular comedian and entertainer Tom Beard.

Tom said: “Everyone knows and loves the original pirate story but you won’t have enjoyed the tale quite like this before. We want our audience (both young and old!) to get involved with lots of shouting, cheering, singing and laughing. We are after non-stop fun and laughter, whilst also staying as close to the original tale as possible” “We’ve respectfully kept to Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling tale which everyone can enjoy, along with some humour for both the adults and the children. The one thing we can guarantee is that everyone will leave with a smile on their face.”

It is the latest project for producers LP Creatives who are fast building a strong reputation for their family shows and pantomimes around the country. Tom explained: “We had a hugely successful ‘Fairy Tales of the Unexpected’ summer season and are really excited to now bring this production to Leighton Buzzard Theatre for the first of hopefully many Summer seasons.”

‘Treasure Island’ is a spectacular children’s show created to spark the children’s imagination whilst also entertaining all the accompanying Mums, Dads, Grandmas and Granddads! It features a professional cast of all singing and a-dancing actors.

For a chance to win the family ticket answer the following question:Why are pirates pirates?

A) Because they hoohar B) Because they hook you C) Because they AAAAAARRRRRRRE! Email your answer together with your name, email address and telephone number to: thesticks9@gmail.com competition closes at noon on Friday 2nd August

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Fillet of Beef Wellington The Beef Wellington is a classic dish which is well recognised throughout the restaurant trade but finding a good quality one that is made and cooked properly is difficult.

The name is thought to have originated from Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, although there are various rumours as to where the name actually came from.

A traditional Beef Wellington consists of beef fillet, pâté, mushroom duxelles and pastry, although there are a lot of variations which have been adapted throughout time.

The one we make here at Kippings takes a long time to produce (almost a day in fact), but we believe that if you are going to do something well then it has to be done properly - no shortcuts!

I start by making mushroom duxelles, herb pancakes and a chicken mousse. Once this is part is complete, we then have all the elements ready to start building our Beef Wellington.

Firstly I trim the beef fillet and portion it before sealing and chilling in a fridge. Once the meat has chilled we brush it with Dijon mustard. Next, we lay out cling film on a flat work surface and lay out two pieces of Parma ham. We then mix the mushroom duxelles and chicken mousse together and spread evenly across the Parma ham before adding a portion of beef fillet and rolling tight into a “sausage”. This “sausage” is chilled for a minimum of 2 hours. Rolling the beef into a sausage shape and chilling helps to keep a nice round shape to the Wellington which is all part of the desired aesthetic.

After a couple of hours, we remove the cling film from the beef and wrap in a herb pancake before wrapping outside the pancake with puff pastry. Once again, we roll the Wellington in cling film and leave it to rest. After another couple of hours the cling film is once again removed and the Wellington is egg washed and decorated before returning again to the fridge.

The Wellington is now ready to be cooked. We recommend cooking at 180-200 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, but we also use an electric probe to make sure that centre of the Wellington is at the required temperature. Rest the cooked Wellington for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven before carving and serve immediately with your choice of potatoes and vegetables.

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We have served ours with a classic dauphinoise potato, spinach and red wine jus, but the alternative recipes are almost endless.

Beef Wellington is quite an expensive dish to make as it relies upon good quality beef fillet, for which you can expect to pay up to ÂŁ35 per kilo. Unfortunately you cannot substitute the beef fillet for anything else as no other cut gives you the same final result, but if you do spend the money and make it properly it is really worth it and you will be the envy of all your friends!

Telephone - 01582 833122 Email - reservations@kippings.co.uk 1 Church Street, Wheathampstead, Herts AL4 8AR www.kippings.co.uk

Kippings have been short listed for Harpenden Best Family Restaurant of the Year 2013 ____________________________________________________________________________

www.the-sticks.co.uk To advertise your event, show, restaurant or business in our September digital magazine Call 07756 274444 Or email thesticks9@gmail.com

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Road Test - Mazda Tourer 2.2D (150) SE-L Nav The all new Mazda 6 Tourer is a car that looks well built and solid. It is an attractive car from all angles and is much more desirable than the model it replaces. Indeed, the Tourer is arguably more pleasing to the eye than the saloon version.

The Mazda 6 is the first Mazda to feature ‘KODO’, which is Mazda’s new design ethos.

They describe it as the Soul of Motion design language which evokes the sense of speed, tension and allure.

The company see their new model 6 as a true competitor to the BMW 3 series and the Audi A4. Buyers who are not bothered about the kudos of a German badge adorning the bonnet of their cars, should take a serious look at this car.

Once inside, the seats are particularly comfortable with plenty of lumbar support low down in the seat, which is a blessing for those with a long back. There is also plenty of lateral support to help keep you firmly planted in your seat when you need to push it along a bit.

Liberal use of high quality soft plastics lends a quality feel to the dashboard and centre console. The cockpit is a nice place to be. The car has a very roomy feel about it too.

The controls are well laid out, with the multi-function steering wheel being home to radio and cruise controls. The climate control, airflow direction and fan speed knobs are all within easy reach for a left hand resting on the gear knob.

The equipment levels on the car are very impressive for the on the road price of £24,465. A whole stack of driving aids and creature comforts are packed in, including: dusk sensing lights, rain sensing wipers, electrically folding mirrors, dual zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, and sat nav.

The 2.2 litre 4 cylinder diesel in the test car pushes out 150PS at 4,500 rpm and, according to official Government figures, should return a very respectable 64.2mpg which is superior to many smaller and less powerful units. With a 62-litre fuel tank, that could lead to potential range of 875 miles without the need for a refill.

As you can tell, we liked this car. In fact, we liked it a lot – even marginally more than the saloon.

More details can be found at www.first4auto.com

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Being a New Mum- Just Like Kate

‘Warning for mums to be – Don’t paint the nursery’ was the headline in the Daily Mail recently and I’m sure you saw it across TV screens and radio broadcasts. New advice to pregnant women says painting the nursery may put their unborn babies at risk from exposure to chemicals. The royal college of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists warns pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to ditch the synthetic chemicals and their fumes in paint, new fabrics and furniture, food packaging and cosmetics, toiletries and cleaning products.

This was met with some disdain by Mumsnet chief who claimed the list’s sheer volume made it ‘almost impossible to follow’ and several commentators said there should be no more stress put on pregnant women. However Professor Scott Nelson, Chair of the RCOG Scientific Advisory Committee said “There are growing concerns over everyday chemical exposure effects because many chemicals have the potential to interfere with the hormone systems in the body, which play key roles in normal foetal development.

Realistically, pregnant women are exposed to a complex mixture of hundreds of chemicals at low levels, but methods for assessing the full risk of exposure are not yet developed.’

He went on to suggest that women concerned about chemical exposure should contact their obstetrician or midwife.

There-in lies the main problem in my opinion, I absolutely believe that we should all be avoiding potentially toxic chemicals but my concern is that most people, perhaps even the authors of this report don’t know which viable alternatives to recommend.

The truth is it’s easy to ditch the chemicals in most instances, most of us won’t have the luxury of a new purpose built eco home even an opportunity to do a major eco refurbishment however we can make choices on which cleaning / laundry and personal care products we bring into our homes. It doesn’t have to cost the earth either (in both senses) if you think old style, we all know about vinegar and paper for cleaning the windows, half a cup of Bicarbonate of soda in warm water will clean most surfaces (add a drop of tea tree oil for the areas that require an anti-bacterial attack). A used lemon will shine a ceramic sink better than any brightly coloured detergent and don’t forget of course the 1950’s housewife’s magic ingredient – elbow grease! To freshen the air half fill a plant spray bottle with water and add three drops of essential oil such as Eucalyptus / Citronella (wards off insects too) or Lavender For laundry, avoid the harsh detergents and fabric softeners and use eco plant based surfactants or opt for Soap nuts or Laundry balls. If it’s time for redecoration, there are some non-toxic paints available but as for painting the nursery, who needs one? The baby has been snugly inside the mother for 9 months – best to co-sleep (safely and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol).

So I think the warning in the Mail was right – but next time let’s have some suggestions for natural alternatives. Enter ‘Yours Truly’!

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Suggested natural alternatives for mum and baby‌.

If you have your own right royal baby fever by the way Organic Stretch Mark Cream packed with omega 3 oils and plant extracts that heal stretch marks and scar tissue

www.beyondorganicskincare.com Bickiepegs Teething Biscuits Developed in 1925 by and paediatrician to provide the correct exercise for a babies teeth and chewing skills

www.bickiepegs.co.uk Weleda Mini Calendula Baby Starter Kit-Contains shampoo, face cream, oil, nappy change cream, baby lotion and flower seeds to grow your own!

www.weleda.co.uk Bottom Dream Natural Baby Nappy Balm-Free from petroleum and all scary chemicals, contains Virgin cocoa and Shea ButterGreat as a general moisturiser www.handmadenaturals.co.uk

Keep yourself and baby clean with a Pure natural Sponge

www.konjacspongecompany.com Kate will need to do her pelvic floor exercises, but do they work? A new book has the low-down - The Kegal Legacy www.thekegellegacy.com -19-

Restaurant Review – Lytton’s Restaurant The Lytton’s restaurant, named after the Lytton family of Knebworth, is one of the most roomy and airy restaurants I have been into and is situated in the Mecure Letchworth Hall hotel. Dating back to 1625 this quintessential Olde English Manor house retains many of its Jacobean features which have been tastefully restored and decorated in the style befitting its period The Sticks recently popped in and had some lunch to see if this wonderful buildings’ food lived up to its’ reputation The restaurant has a daily á la carte menu with a choice of six starters including a soup of the day, seven main dishes with a fresh fish dish and six desserts with a “remember the past “ choice.

For a starter I had Potted Smoked Mackerel, Potato & Fresh Horseradish Salad – the mackerel was rich, creamy and wonderfully off set by the horseradish in the salad.

My colleague had Roasted Beetroot, Rosemary and Thyme, Wobbly Bottom Goats Cheese and Croutons which he said was delicious - need we say more!

We both went for the Chef’s choice of the fisherman’s Daily Catch - Grilled Filleted Sea Bass with Asparagus and cracked new potatoes for main course. The fish was moist, flavoursome and not overcooked, the asparagus was tender just as it should be, and we both enjoyed this dish immensely.

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For dessert I had the “remember the past pudding” of Rhubarb Cheesecake served with a wafer biscuit – the cheesecake was smooth with the sweetness of the cheesecake and the tartness of the rhubarb combining amazingly well. A gluten free Warm Chocolate Brownie with warm chocolate sauce and clotted cream was chosen by my colleague - it was hard to believe this was gluten free as it had great texture and chocolaty taste. It is great to see a restaurant catering for people who have intolerance to gluten.

This was one of the best lunches we have had in a long time and in great surroundings, we recommend you give it a try as the food, service and ambiance were first class - on this showing is well worth a visit for both business and pleasure

Lytton’s Restaurant @ Mercure Letchworth Hall

Mercure Letchworth Hall Letchworth Lane Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3NP Tel: 01462 683 747 Web: www.fairviewhotels.com or www.mercure.com

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Wednesday 3 Jul In “Mrs Goodwin’s Little Book - The life and times of a Georgian housewife" renowned speaker Meryl Catty recounts the discovery of an 18th century book of personal jottings belonging to one of her husband’s ancestors, the contents of which enable us to share some of the key events. Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage SG1 1UP

Herts Listings July Free Poetry Trail - til Sunday 21 Jul Free Poetry trail Pick up form from Davids’ Bookstore (opposite Wilkinsons) 5min or longer leisurely trail around town Pop back to Davids’ to enter prize draw Over 1K of prizes. Davids’ Bookstore 14 Eastcheap Letchworth SG6 3DE

North Herts College Garden Exhibition Wednesday 3 to Wednesday 31 Jul Exhibition of Sculptures from students at North Herts College. Knebworth House SG1 2AG

Maypole Dancing on the Green- Monday 1 Jul A traditional English summer event! Join Staplers Country Dance club for an evening of lighthearted English maypole dancing with live music from Cloudburst and dances called by Chris Turner. Beginners, families and children welcome. No need to bring a partner. Great Green, (Opposite the Motte and Bailey Pub) Pirton, SG5 3QD

Billi Smiles Circus -Wednesday 3 to Sunday 14 Jul Come to see this new vibrant, friendly and colourful all human circus, presenting a fun filled show for all the family, which is visiting Watford for the first time! Our Ringmaster Deyvid looks forward to introducing you to our artists, including Lyudmilla, who brings style and grace.

Hunton Bridge, Watford WD4 8RE

Summer Stories: Vanessa Stone -Monday 1 to Wednesday 31 Jul Just right for summer; another terrific exhibition by the gloriously talented local artist Vanessa Stone. Her work with paper cuts is always fresh and exciting, and rightly has a large following. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Networking Lunch - Thursday 4 Jul A monthly networking lunch run by Isabel Hospice working in association with Marketing Kinetics and Lussmanns. We welcome companies from all over Herts & Essex offering an opportunity to network both inside and outside your own areas. Cost £15 includes buffet, glass of wine, soft drinks, tea To be held at Lussmanns, 42 Fore Street, Hertford SG14 1BY

Art Skills -Monday 1 Jul to Wednesday 31 Jul Come and see the fantastic work achieved by our Arts Skills Club students. There is amazing talent among our young people. Now we are putting it on display. Our Art Skills Club students are aged 11 to 18 and use different media such as oil pastels, water colour pencils, charcoal, pen and ink. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production Of Macbeth -4th, 5th & 6th July.A comedy by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr. Presented at Wareside Village Hall by Wareside Entertainers, 7.45pm. For tickets to this hilarious comedy watching the ladies of Farndale attempt a serious play like Macbeth (a really great night out) call 01920 484505 or 01920 467223

Summer Fair- Monday 1 Jul This marquee event will be held in the beautiful surroundings of Standon Lordship, in the heart of the rolling countryside between Standon & Barwick, by kind permission of The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, Viscountess Trenchard & Viscount Trenchard, 10.30am ~ 4.00pm.

Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn- 4-13 July Main Stage, Company of Ten Matinee: Sunday 7 July at 2.30pm.Four married couples, three bedrooms, one hectic night and a morning after.

Everything you could possibly want from an Ayckbourn play, Bedroom Farce was voted one of the best comedies of the 20th century by the Guardian newspaper.

Book online at www.abbeytheatre.org.uk or phone the box office 01727 857861

The Comedy of Errors at Gaddesden Estate performed by Oddsocks- Tuesday 2 Jul Oddsocks Productions family-friendly adaptations of Shakespeare are returning this summer with the mad-cap, tongue in cheek production of "The Comedy of Errors" - A servant and master from far off Syracuse arrive in Ephesus in search of their long-lost twin brothers. Gaddesden Estate, Gaddesden Home Farm, Bridens Camp, Hemel Hempstead HP2 6EZ

Jekyll and Hyde The Musical- Thursday 4 to Sun 7 Jul Join Sharpe Academy as they present the electrifying story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Sharpe Academy has built a solid reputation in the North West London area for producing

Stevenage Family History Society - “Mrs Goodwin’s Little Book” - a talk by Meryl Catty -22-

the public can make a donation to vote for their favourite. The money raised will all go to the Hospice. 10.00am – 4.30pm. Entrance: Adults: £5 in advance or: Members £6, Non Members £7 on the day. Wodson Park SG12 0UQ

spectacular shows such as Beauty and the Beast, Fame, Aida and The Jungle Book.Watersmeet, High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1EH Dirty Dancing in the Park- Thursday 4 Jul Open Air cinema is coming to Highfield Park, St Albans.

Bring your picnic and a blanket and enjoy a classic movie with your friends and family in this stunning setting. Free on site parking available.

Highfield Park, Highfield Lane, St. Albans, AL4 0RE

Broxbourne Community Open Day- Saturday 6 Jul The theme this year is the 400 year anniversary of the New River. The annual event will showcase the wealth of local organisations in Broxbourne and the surrounding area. Council Offices, Bishops’ College, Churchgate, Cheshunt EN8 9XQ

Art in Clay -Friday 5 to Sunday 7 Jul Celebrating 19 years of Art in Clay at Hatfield House in 2013, this show has now become one of the most important ceramic events in Europe.

The makers range from young imaginative students and relative newcomers to leading National and International makers. Some of the best ideas for ceramics. Hatfield House AL9 5NQ

Barkway Antiques & Vintage Fair-Sunday 7 Jul Offering a wide range of 20 stalls selling anything from jewellery to pictures, furniture to clothing, with temptation at every table. Our vintage tearoom offers an array of freshly made homemade cakes, soups and sandwiches and refreshments. Barkway Village Hall, Cambridge Road, Barkway SG8 8BS

Lastminute Comedy Club- takes place on Friday July 5th in Hitchin the show at Woodside Hall features legendary stand ups Bob Mills and Ronnie Golden. The show is on a first come, first served basis). Doors for the gig open at 7.30pm with the performances commencing an hour later. Tickets £10. more information visit www.lastminutecomedy.com

Wonderland!- Sunday 7 Jul Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon at the Castle and in the grounds. Live stage show at 2pm, walkabout characters, rides and stalls....don’t be late!!!

The Castle, Hertford SG14 1HR Mike the Knight-Sunday 7 Jul Mike the Knight is visiting Willows Farm Village to meet the children in his meet and greet sessions (please note there are no individual meet sessions). Plus a full day’s programme of farm village fun with farmyard animals, adventure play, fun fair rides, JCB Young Drivers Zone Willows Farm Village.

Coursers Road, London Colney, St. Albans AL4 0PF

Herts Air Ambulance Motorcycle Run- Saturday 6 Jul Join Herts Air Ambulance for their first motorcycle run! 50mile circular route, Dealer stands, Training schools, Bouncy castle, Refreshments and much more. Old Albanian Rugby Football Club, Woollam’s Playing Fields, 160 Harpenden Road, St Albans AL3 6BB Comedy Club - Saturday 6 Jul Our monthly comedy night returns, with Dave Johns and Paddy Lennox. Paul B Edwards is, as always, in charge. Licensed bar. “He shifts from the sublime, to genius, to uproar in the blink of an eye – an extremely entertaining hour.” That was the Guardian’s verdict on Dave Johns.

Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG3 3EW

Craft Fayre -Sunday 7 Jul Summer Craft Fayre showcasing local crafts, including willow weaving, pokerwork, machine embroidery and lots more. Demonstrations and items for sale.

Please get in touch if you have a craft you would like to share. 50p admission on the day (accompanied children free). Fowlmere Village Hall, Chrishall Road, Fowlmere, nr Royston SG8 7RY

Oaklands School Summer Fete- Saturday 6 Jul Whatever the weather, a great day beckons with entertainment including a huge inflatable obstacle course, pony rides, dance displays and a cookery demonstration by No.7 Cooking Academy. There will be a range of stalls, children’s crafts and activities, plus a raffle offering some fantastic prizes. Oaklands Primary School, Great North Road, Welwyn AL6 0PX

Music Quiz Night- Thursday 11 Jul Classical music quiz, with some jazz, pop, rock and musicals too. Prize for the winning team. Bar opens at 7pm for a 7:30 start. Teams of between 2 to 8 people, please tell us your team name when you book your tickets. Entry fee only £7 per person, which includes cheese & biscuits Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin, SG4 9RB

Exhibition of Cakes & Sugarcraft -Saturday 6 Jul Held at Wodson Park in Ware. There will be a table of cakes decorated with sunflowers and

Pepper Foundation 25th Anniversary Rock Show 2013 ’Pepper 25 - Best of British’- Friday 12 to Sun 14 Jul, Wed 17 Jul to Sat 20 Jul

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Muppet Treasure Island film -Sunday 14 Jul Join us in a swashbuckling adventure as The Old Town Hall pops up at Frogmore Paper Mill as part of The Dashfest Water Festival family funday.

Walk along the towpath or catch the boat trip at Apsley Lock and join Kermit and Miss Piggy in this magnificent setting. Frogmore Paper Mill, Fourdrinier Way, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9RY

Come and celebrate 25 years of fundraising for Pepper. Suitable for all ages. A complete evening out, with live acts .Centenary Theatre, Berkhamsted School, Kings Road, Berkhamsted HP4 3BG Flamstead Music Festival- Saturday 13 Jul The Wish Tree Charity presents our 5th Music Festival. "Making Waves" on Saturday 13th July 2013 - gate open 6.15pm. Fantastic live Bands, Great Food and Bar, all money raised goes direct to The Wish Tree Charity. Please call Liz 07974196434, Lizzy 07713153814. Flamstead Village School AL3 8DL

Race For Life- Sunday 14 Jul Ladies. It’s time to show cancer who’s in charge at Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. There are over 200 types of cancers and we won’t give up until we find cures for them all. It’s fighting talk, but we mean every word we say. Cancer, we’re coming to get you. Run, walk or dance. Fairlands Valley Park, Broadhall Way, Stevenage SG2 8RH

Highfield Park Summer Fete -Saturday 13 Jul Come and join us for a fun day at a traditional summer fete, there will be lots to do in the lovely setting of Highfield Park. Enjoy a wide range of craft stalls and attractions including children’s fairground rides, coconut shy, donkey rides, ride on steam engine, live entertainment.

Highfield Park, St Albans AL4 0RA

Muscle Warrior 10K & 5K Charity Race- Sunday 14 Jul A 10K & 5K race set in the stunning grounds of Haileybury Independent School in East Hertfordshire in aid of family charity The Muscle Help Foundation, providing Muscle Dreams, amazing experiences for young people with the muscle wasting disease Muscular Dystrophy.

Haileybury School, Hertford Heath SG13 7NU

Chorleywood Parish Council Village DaySaturday 13th July This increasingly popular family event takes place on Chorleywood Common just off junction 18 of the M25 in beautiful countryside. Previous year’s events have included 100 stalls offering local produce, competitions and much more. There are activities and displays in the main arena Chorleywood Common WD3 5SL

Knebworth Festival of Transport -Tuesday 16 Jul Motor Car and Motor Cycle Show, Knebworth House SG1 2AX BENSLOW - Weds 17th, Thurs 18th, Fri 19th, Sat 20th, Weds 24th, Thurs 25th, Fri 26th & Sat 27th July 7.30pm.Tickets £12.50 / £10.50 conc.

(Wednesday & Thursday only) This is the story of Miss Sarah Emily Davies determination to create, what was in essence, the first all girl college in 1869 at Benslow House, Hitchin. Although existing there for a just a few years before moving to Cambridge, and re opening as Girton College, its creation was without doubt historically important and educationally ground breaking. The first of several plays that will come under the sub title of: Hitchin Histories.

Market Theatre, Hitchin

Benington Village Fair -Saturday 13 Jul Benington is a small, picturesque village set in the Hertfordshire (UK) countryside and has been described as one of the most attractive villages in the county. Although the attractions change from year to year, there are normally stalls, sideshows, entertainers, bar, food, teas and cakes. Church Green Benington SG2 7BS Vintage and Classic Vehicle Display- Saturday 13 Jul The event will see its 19th year in Hoddesdon town centre and is as popular as ever with visitors and exhibitors alike. Over 160+ vehicles will be on display ranging from early 1900 vintage to modern day classics including Ford Capris, Cortinas, Escorts alongside Jaguars, motorbikes and scooters. High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8UB

Net Working Lunch- Thursday 18 Jul A monthly networking lunch run by Isabel Hospice working in association with Marketing Kinetics. We welcome companies from all over Herts & Essex offering an opportunity to network both inside and outside your own areas. Grill 55, 55 South Street, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3AL

Harpenden Lions Club Highland Gathering 2013 -Sunday 14 Jul A fun day out for all the family, with a Scottish flavour and featuring Pipe Bands, Solo Piping, Highland Games and Dancing and so much more. There are many stalls and other attractions, including a children’s funfair, and a wide range of food and drink outlets will be available. Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2HU

The Waterways Festival- Friday 19 to Sun 21 Jul The Waterways Festival is a three day celebration of the nation’s inland waterways.

Staged at Cassiobury Park and alongside the banks of the beautiful Grand Union Canal, the event is an exciting and colourful extravaganza

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with an array of attractions to provide an educational and fun day. Cassiobury Park, Watford WD18 7LG

excuse to get your hands dirty. Bishops Stortford Museum Rhodes 1-3 South Road Bishops Stortford CM23 3JG

Jazz at the Arts- Friday 19 Jul A great night of jazz standards and latin, with Andrei Pytaleu, piano, Roy Viveash, saxophone, Tomas Pedersen, double bass, and Mike Goff, drums. Licensed bar.

Come and chill out at the Arts Centre with some terrific music. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Herts Big Band - Monday 29 Jul The Herts Big Band swing into summer with a couple of sets.

Expect music associated with Artie Shaw, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis/Thad Jones Jazz Orchestra, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. The Doctor’s Tonic, Church Rd, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6PR

Hatfield House Battle Proms Concert- Saturday 20 Jul The 13th annual Hatfield House Battle Proms Concert will include all of the favourite highlights such as a full orchestral programme, Spitfire display, breathtaking fireworks, Napoleonic cavalry, 200 live cannons, party in the park atmosphere Hatfield House, Hatfield AL9 5NQ

Benslow Music Concert - Music for a Summer Evening -Tuesday 30 Jul Darragh Morgan (violin) Martin Outram (viola) William Bruce (cello) Danielle Perrett (harp) Julian Rolton (piano) Mary Dullea (piano). Peter Morrison Hall, Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin SG4 9RB A Prehistoric journey- Tuesday 30 Jul to Thu 1 Aug Try the ancient art of cave painting and make your very own woolly mammoth. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain SG14 1DT

Summer Spectacular- Saturday 20 Jul to Sunday 1 Sep A-maize-ing Maze, Summer Sports Day Races and a full days programme of farm village fun. With farmyard animals, adventure play, fun fair rides, JCB Young Drivers Zone, bouncy castles and inflatable slide. You can pan for gold and take a ride on Tristan the Runaway Tractor. Willows Farm Village, Coursers Road, London Colney, St. Albans AL4 0PF

August Wind In The Willows -Thursday 1 Aug Outdoor Children’s Theatre production, Knebworth SG1 2AX In Yer Face -Thursday 1 to Friday 30 Aug Works in acrylic, with the emphasis on fun, by Becky Cannon. Becky Cannon chose not to take up a place at Cardiff University in 1994 but decided instead to create artwork in a dilapidated old barn on her parents’ farm.

Although it was a snowsuit job in the winter and mouse-infested in the summer. Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Little Howard/Big Howard -Sunday 21 Jul The nations’ favourite human-cartoon double act, Big Howard and Little Howard, return to our stage with a new comedy spectacular. Big Howard and Little Howard star in the smash-hit BBC One children’s show Little Howard’s Big Question.

They have also appeared on This Morning & Radio 1.Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Community Sports Day -Sunday 21 Jul Come and try out a variety of sports and activities on both sides of the river - a great afternoon for all the family! The Castle, Hertford SG14 1HR

A Roman Romp- Fri 2nd, Sat 3rd, Fri 9th, Sat10th, Fri 16th, Sat 17th, Friday 23rd, Sat 24th, Fri 30th, Sat 31st August 7.30pm.Tickets: £12 (no conc.)

Set in Rome during the reign of the Emperor Caligula, we tell the story of a dysfunctional family, obsessed with sex and power, trying desperately to keep up with the Caesars! Think of ‘Up Pompeii’ meets ‘Adult Panto’! The picture it conjures is probably about right!

Market Theatre, Hitchin

Bushcraft and Archery Summer Camps- Monday 22 Jul to Friday 9 Aug Kids can chose from either 2 days or 3 days from 9.30am – 4.30pm everyday. 8 years plus. Your child can get back to basics this summer and learn primitive skills and the instinctive art of Longbow Archery with qualified Archery Instructors and Bushcraft.

Celtic Harmony Camp The Iron Age Settlement, Brickendon Lane, Brickendon SG13 8NY

Playing at Leisure- Fri 2 - Sun 4 August A special weekend where groups large or small or individuals and couples who want a short break with the possibility - but not the obligation - of taking advantage of some of our musical facilities are able to come to Benslow Music for a favourable rate. There’s no timetable apart from meal and tea/coffee times, and no tutoring.

Guests simply meet each other informally in the

Make your own prehistoric pot- Saturday 27 Jul To tie in with the Festival of British Archaeology, Bishop's Stortford Museum is offering you another chance to make some coiled clay pots. This was a very popular workshop last summer and a great

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are ideal if you have a child participating in one of our children’s activities at the same time.

Print your own tote bag. Letchworth Arts Centre.

2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

bar or dining rooms and decide there and then what they would like to do, whether it’s reading through a Mozart Piano Quintet or a Schubert song with colleagues or new-found friends, reading quietly in our lovely gardens, browsing the contents of our library or taking a sightseeing trip to Hitchin’s attractive town centre.

Benslow Music, Hitchin, SG4 9RB.Resident: £185 Non-resident: £135 Code: 13/PAL Booking Line: 01462 459446

Benslow Music Concert - The Virtuoso FluteTuesday 6 Aug Philippa Davies (flute) Jan Willem Nelleke (piano) Peter Morrison Hall, Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin SG4 9RB Toytastic -Tuesday 6 to Thu 8 Aug Make some simple Victorian optical toys and try your hand at some traditional games. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain SG14 1DT

Comedy Club – Fri 2 Aug Our monthly comedy night returns, with Edinburgh star Paul Kerensa, plus support. Paul B Edwards is, as always, in charge. Licensed bar. Woodside Hall, Hitchin Standon Calling -Friday 2 –Sun 4 Aug House, Standon. Hertfordshire

Teddy Bears Picnic- Thursday 8 Aug Children and Mums and Dads need to bring their Teddies to Broxbourne Civic Hall Gardens as they are sure of a big surprise. Prizes for the best dressed teddies. The Crazy Bears will be here putting on a great show, music, arts & crafts, competitions and more. Broxbourne Civic Hall Gardens, Broxbourne Civic Hall, High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8BE

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Hidden Landscapes: exhibition by Christina Bryant -Friday 2 to Friday 30 Aug The Hidden Landscapes project is an Arts Council funded research and development project by the visual artist Christina Bryant in which she explores sites along the urban fringes of Letchworth Garden City, Herts. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Eastern Electrics- Friday 2 Aug Park, Park Pl, Knebworth. SG1 2AX

Bug Bonanza- Friday 9 and Saturday 10 Aug Celebrating and exploring everything creepy crawlie with resident bug experts in Waterworld & Bug City. Shepreth Wildlife Park, Station Road, Shepreth, SG8 6PZ

Knebworth

The Knebworth Game & Country ShowSaturday 10 and Sunday 11 Aug All day entertainment which may include birds of prey, working dogs, children’s entertainment as well as arts, crafts, gifts and food marquees.

Knebworth House, Knebworth SG1 2AX

Comedy Club – Sat 3 Aug Our monthly comedy night returns, with Edinburgh star Paul Kerensa, plus support. Paul B Edwards is, as always, in charge. Licensed bar. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Tiger Day- Sunday 4 Aug Tiger fun and games throughout the day, with all funds raised going to wild tiger conservation projects. Shepreth Wildlife Park, Station Road, Shepreth,SG8 6PZ

The Three Little Pigs Ballon Show - Saturday 10 Aug An inventive retelling of the classic Three Little Pigs. Danny has been delivered a story telling kit in a crate. All the props for the story are inside the crate ... or are they? Danny has to try against the odds to act out the story, without making a pig’s ear of it! Markyate Parish Council Hall, Cavendish Road, Markygate, AL3 8PS

Rock at the Castle -Sunday 4 Aug One Day charity music festival featuring a range of local acts, with food and refreshment stalls to make your mouth water!The Castle, Hertford SG14 1HR

Classic Vehicle Day -Saturday 10 Aug A Classic Vehicle Day is to be held in the pedestrianised area of the High Street of Waltham Cross. The event incorporates live music from a local band alongside 90+ vehicles ranging from 1950s to up to date classics. The event is free to visitors and exhibitors alike. High Street, Waltham Cross EN8 7AN

Barkway Antiques & Vintage Fair- Sunday 4 Aug Fabulous fair set in the beautiful village of Barkway. Offering a wide range of 20 stalls selling anything from jewellery to pictures, furniture to clothing, with temptation at every table. Our vintage tearoom offers an array of freshly made homemade cakes, soups and sandwiches and refreshments. Barkway Village Hall, Cambridge Road, Barkway SG8 8BS

Animal Madness - Miniature Ponies at Riverside Shopping Centre- Saturday 10 Aug Celebrate the summer holidays in style at Riverside Shopping as they kick start their season of Animal Madness that is running throughout

Craft Week -Monday 5 to Thursday 8 Aug These special fun courses for adults coincide with our summer programme for children. You don’t have to be a parent to take part, but they -26-

continue their Animal Madness season with a stunning Birds of Prey display. Between 11am and 4pm. you will be able to meet a number of these fantastic birds from eagles and hawks to falcons and owls. Riverside Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BT

August with a Miniature Ponies event. The incredibly cute and pint sized ponies will be VIPs ‘very important ponies’ Riverside Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BT Health and Wellbeing Week- Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 Aug These special fun courses for adults coincide with our summer programme for children. You don’t have to be a parent to take part, but they are ideal if you have a child participating in one of our children’s activities at the same time. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Hertford Castle Tours and Open Air Band Concert- Sunday 18 Aug Bring a picnic and enjoy a lazy afternoon listening to the Watford Band.

The Castle will be open for guided tours every half hour, on a ticket entry system. The Castle, Hertford SG14 1HR

Art Movements-Monday 12 to Thursday 15 Aug There’s a terrific time to be had in these great mornings for youngsters, looking at different art styles and creating their own. The keynote is: art is fun. Two groups each morning, for 5- to 7-year olds and 8- to 12-year olds. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Period Art - Monday 19 to Thursday 22 Aug There’s a terrific time to be had in these great mornings for youngsters, looking at different art styles and creating their own. The keynote is: art is fun. Two groups each morning, for 5- to 7-year olds and 8- to 12-year olds. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Elstree Film Studios/Dreamcatcher Media’s film making Summer Camp -Monday 12 to Friday 23 Aug Students who enrol for our one week course will receive all the fundamental instruction they need to get to grips with completing a short film.

They will make a 5 minute film in 5 days and get a dvd at the end of it. To book, email info@dreamcatchermedia.co.uk. Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood, WD6 1JG

Benslow Music Concert - A Bach Evening Tuesday 20 Aug Julian Perkins (harpsichord) Stephen Preston (baroque flute) Peter Morrison Hall, Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin SG4 9RB Animal Madness - Mini animal farm at Riverside Shopping Centre- Saturday 24 Aug Farm life will be taking over Riverside as a whole host of favourites visit for a micro farm event to conclude their Animal Madness season. The mobile farm will be open from 11am to 4pm on the mall and will include micro pigs, pygmy goats, a calf, bunnies and chicks. Riverside Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BT

Pop up Theatre Tent- Tuesday 13 Aug The Old Town Hall is popping up on The Moor for the Lookout Popup Festival finale. The Popup Theatre Tent combines traditional and modern elements of children’s theatre to create an inspired one day extravaganza jam packed with fun for everyone. The Moor, Lower Kings Road, Mill Street, Berkhamsted HP4 2BA

Musical Mystery Tour -Sunday 25 Aug Once again Hertford Museum will be a venue as part of the popular musical mystery tour held in Hertford. Refreshments available. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain SG14 1DT

Benslow Music Concert - Celebrating Britten in Song- Tuesday 13 Aug Sarah Leonard (soprano) Stephen Gutman (piano) Peter Morrison Hall, Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin SG4 9RB

Classic Motor Show- Sunday 25 and Monday 26 Aug Exhibition and display of classic motor cars Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Seaside and Rock Pools- Tuesday 13 to Thu 15 Aug The founders of Hertford Museum used to take lots of seaside holidays. Come along and take part in crafts inspired by the traditional British seashore and its inhabitants. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain SG14 1DT Pride and Prejudice- Friday 16 Aug Outdoor Theatre Production for Adults. Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Ashwell Show -Monday 26 Aug This annual country show offers a great day out for all the family. The regular highlights include the horse events, dog shows, vintage cars and tractors, superb trade stands plus beer tent and food court, sideshow and kids rides. Visitors can witness the amazing skills of the Chainsaw carver Elbrook Meadow, Mill Street, Ashwell SG7 5NE

Animal Madness - Birds of Prey at Riverside Shopping Centre- Saturday 17 Aug Fly on down to Riverside on Saturday 17th August as they

Hedgehog Day- Monday 26 Aug It’s all about hedgehogs! Shepreth Wildlife Park, Station Road, Shepreth, SG8 6PZ

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I ? Minibeasts Boat- Tuesday 27 Aug Discover more about the Lee Valley Regional Park’s minibeasts and witness them in their natural environment on a canal boat ride along the River Lee followed by games, quizzes and arts and craft activities on land. Call 01992 462 085 to book. Broxbourne Riverside Moorings, Nazeing Road, Broxbourne EN10 6QT

entertainment in the village hall. Wootton recreation ground (Behind Wootton Village Hall) Church Rd. Wootton Symphonia at Sunset -Saturday 6 Jul Symphonia Academica orchestra, in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire presents an evening of classical favourites in the Lakeside Room, with a beautiful view of the lake as the sun sets on a lovely summers evening. The event is indoors however, so weather will not be an issue.

Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Creepy Crawlies-Tuesday 27 Aug Join us at the Natural History Museum Tring for a hands on creative craft session inspired by the museums collection of creepy crawlies! Natural History Museum, Akeman Street, Tring HP23 6AP

Wild West Summer Fayre- Saturday 6 Jul Fun and games for all the family. Competitions to enter: "The great Laburnum Bake Off", "Animal and People Art", Bouncy castle, stalls, Stuart and his creepy crawlies. Traditional games such as Coconut shy, Tin can alley as well as Beat the goalie, Play your cards right, Splat the Rat.Laburnum Lower School, Laburnum Road, Sandy SG19 1HQ

Castles, Knights and Princesses- Tuesday 27 to Thu 29 Aug Get creative and crafty taking inspiration from Hertford’s very own castle.

Make a sandcastle in the museum sandpit using our buckets, spades and shells. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain SG14 1DT Jimmy Carr -Tuesday 27 Aug Gagging Order.Watford Colosseum, Watford. WD17 2EX Craft and Design Show- Friday 30 Aug Sunday 1 Sep Traditonal and Modern Crafts Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Melchbourne Feast Day- Sunday 7 Jul Melchbourne village is now due to celebrate her 749th Feast Day! We would like to welcome all visitors to the event. We will be celebrating with the Ouse Valley Swing Band, performing some Glenn Miller pieces, to enjoy alongside a garden tea party, with refreshments, cakes and Pimms for sale. Old Vicarage, Knotting Road, Melchbourne MK44 1BQ

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Open-air Theatre- Saturday 31 Aug Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles. By Chapterhouse Theatre Company.

Hopleys Gardens, Much Hadham, SG10 6BU

Cafe in the Tower and Choral Evensong Sunday 7 Jul Service of Choral Evensong in All Saints’ Church, Odell with the Choir of St. Oswald’s Church, Croxley Green, Herts. With Cafe in the Tower on the same day. Odell Church, Odell MK44 7AA

Beds listings July Girls Night Out - Thu 4, 11, 18 Jul Join us for the Ultimate Girls Night Out for only £15.00 which includes a glass of wine or beer on arrival, a luxury two-course meal, £5 gaming chip plus private tuition on Roulette and Blackjack.

Perfect for Hen nights, a catch up with the girls or just a great night out. Grosvenor G Casino Luton, 35 Park Street West, Luton LU1 3BE

Shefford Annual Duck Race- Sunday 7 Jul Acorn Pre-School & the Mighty Oaks annual Duck Race. As well as racing ducks down the river, there will be Tombolas, a raffle, face painting, bouncy castle, food and drink. Fun for all the family! The Bangkok Lounge, 2 Bedford Road, Shefford SG17 5DJ

Billy Smart’s Circus -Tuesday 2 to Sunday 7 Jul This all human performance will include a fantastic Australian flying trapeze act which has been the toast of the circus world and Desiree’s hand balancing act in which she fires a bow and arrow - with her feet! We also have acrobats, jugglers, breath-taking aerialists. Stockwood Park LU1 3RN

Music on a Sunday Afternoon- Sundays 7, 14, 21, 28 Jul Every Sunday in July you can enjoy music in the stunning surroundings of Wrest Park on a relaxing summer afternoon. Why not indulge in a family picnic or stroll around the grounds as your afternoon is accompanied by a new musical treat each week! Wrest Park, Silsoe, Luton MK45 4HR

Wootton Village Fete - Saturday 6th July A Great Fun Day Out Family outdoor activities including the popular Archery Have-a-Go attraction Robins Reach Archery www.robinsreach.co.uk Outdoor activities from 11.30am until around 5pm with evening disco

Our Big Gig. Together through Music- Friday 12 Jul Our Big Gig is a nationwide community music event taking place across England between 11th

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in time to the ‘one and only’ Chesney Hawkes as they take to the stage to end this fantastic event!

and 14th July. Events will involve a mix of musical performances and opportunities to get involved, be that by ’having a go’ on an instrument or taking part in a community sing-along! The Hat Factory, 65 – 67 Bute Street, Luton LU1 2EY

Dunton Folk - Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar in Concert -Saturday 20 Jul Winners of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award 2013. In 2011 multiinstrumentalist Ciaran (Fiddle, Bouzouki, Guitar, Vocals) met and joined forces with Chester-born Greg (Vocals, Guitar, Bouzouki, English Concertina) to form a duo with an "amazing level of energy, ability and stagecraft" St Mary Magdalene Church, Dunton,Biggleswade,SG18 8RR

Bedfringe 2013- Friday 12 Jul to Saturday 3 Aug Bedford will host its seventh international fringe festival BEDFRINGE 2013, bringing Bedford some of the best comedy, music, theatre, poetry, storytelling and much more from across the UK and beyond. A full programme of over 140 fantastic acts. Bedford Corn Exchange MK40 1SL

Bedford Dragon Boat Race-Sunday 21 Jul Teams are invited to enter a team to race 30’ Chinese dragon boats at Bedford Rowing Club on the River Ouse, Bedford raising funds for local charities. For anyone not wanting to take part this is also a great spectator sport. Bedford Rowing Club, The Boathouse, Duck Mill Lane, Bedford MK42 0AX

Glow Worm Night Walks- Saturday 13 & Sat 20 Jul Discover these magical creatures. Come and observe these fascinating little creatures at night. Your children will be so excited about this event. Your own torch for viewing would be essential. So bring a little sparkle into your lives and witness this miracle of nature. Chilterns Gateway Centre, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade LU6 2GY

Ash -Tuesday 23 Jul Corn Exchange Bedford, The Central Box Office, Bedford. MK40 1LE

Bromham Village Annual Show- Sunday 14 Jul Annual village show in its 66th year. A host of attractions for all of the family including a tented craft fair, main arena attractions, marching band, classic car show, traditional games & competitions, food outlets, bouncy inflatables, trade stalls, birds of prey. Village Road, Bromham, Beds. MK43 8LD

Pirate Finger Puppets - Summer Activity Wednesday 24 Jul Ahoy’ there! Become a pirate for the day and create your very own Paper Pirate Finger Puppet! All pirates will enjoy a chocolate gold coin and a Jolly Roger juice... But you will need to walk to plank! Tickets are £2.99 per child. This activity is an all day activity.

Frosts at Willington MK44 3QP

Waggy Woodland Walk -Wednesday 17 Jul Come and walk your four legged friend round the park on a warm summer’s evening with an expert from Barking Mad Dog Training School, with a BBQ included for just £5.Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Fuchsia Festival-Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 Jul Come and admire the fuchsias at our Fuchsia Festival. Plants for sale throughout the weekend.

Have a cup of tea and cake while you chat about fuchsias with the members. Henlow Parish Hall, High Steet, Henlow SG6 6AA

Charity Quiz Night in aid of ’Keech Hospice’Wednesday 17 Jul Join in our charity quiz night in aid of local charity Keech Hospice. Teams of four at £5.00 per person including nibbles on the table! Battle through 10 rounds to win CASH prizes. Other spot prizes available including charity raffle to win a selection of gifts.

Grosvenor G Casino Luton, 35 Park Street West, Luton LU1 3BE

Fibre-East- Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 Jul Two day event celebrating working with natural fibres with the emphasis on British Wool, fibres, yarns, notions, dyes, demonstrations for the craft enthusiasts in the world of spinning, weaving, dyeing, knitting, crochet etc. Redborne Community College, Ampthill, MK45 2NU Kite Festival- Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 Jul Come fly your kite! Join us over this fantastic fun filled weekend. There will be kids activities, face painting, entertainers, market stalls and plenty more. Be amazed as giant kites in the shape of bears, tigers and stars float across the sky and world famous display teams fly kites.

Chilterns Gateway Centre, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade LU6 2GY

Party in the Park -Saturday 20 July Grove House Gardens, Dunstable. 12 noon to 8.00 pm Party in the Park is back. At this 8 hour, family fun event, including live music, children’s rides and attractions, fun fair and much more!

Fantastic event for all the family and it’s completely FREE! Get dancing to a PINK and JESSIE J tributes and then get ready to go back

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Unlocking the past- Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 Jul Festival of Archaeology with Bedford Borough Council. Join us and find out what further finds can be unearthed to discover more about Priory Country Park’s past. By conducting digs and doing experimental archaeology that we find clues to that past. Priory Country Park Barkers Lane Bedford MK41 9DJ

Rufus Centre Field, Flitwick MK45 1AH

Steppingley

Road,

Shuttleworth Collection (Planes and Bird Centre) Drawing Day- Tuesday 6 Aug Shuttleworth has an amazing collection of planes dating back to the dawn of flight all under-one roof, also within a 5 minute walk is the English School of Falconry which houses a large bird of prey centre for nearly 300 birds. The Sessions will begin by meeting at the entrance at 10.30am Shuttleworth (Old Warden), Aerodrome North Biggleswade, SG18 9EP

Whipsnade’s 4th Scarecrow Festival- Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 Jul There will ex-strawdinary sights to delight the crowds at the 4th Whipsnade Scarecrow Festival. Local residents and school children will be making scarecrows to enter the local competition. YOU can come and be the judges! The scarecrows can be visited by car or by foot. Whipsnade Village Hall, off B4540, LU6 2LL

Hanging Sea Life Creatures - Summer ActivityWednesday 7 Aug You will "shore" love this activity! Are you an octopus, a fish or maybe a seahorse? Choose your favourite fishy friend and get creative colouring them in. No trip to the sea would be complete without a glass of sea juice and a chocolate treat. Tickets are £2.99 per child. Frosts at Willington MK44 3QP

Be Gorgeous Shopping & Pamper EventWednesday 31 Jul Join in our renowned Be Gorgeous Shopping & Pamper event and received a free goodie bag on arrival! Browse a selection of stalls ranging from Hair, Beauty, Makeup, Jewellery, Clothing, Bags, Healing, Massage & much more! Dining packages available on the night priced at £15pp Grosvenor G Casino Luton, 35 Park Street West, Luton LU1 3BE

Marston Mud - outdoor learning and crafts session- Thursday 8 Aug A walk into the Wetlands to make mud pies and clay creatures.

It will be messy! Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Princes & Princesses - Summer ActivityWednesday 31 Jul Become royalty for a day!

Choose either to decorate a pretty tiara, or your own striking sword. An essential item for any budding royal, you can also enjoy a royal chocolate treat and juice drink. Tickets are £2.99 per child. This activity is an all day activity Frosts at Willington MK44 3QP

Country Fete- Sunday 11 Aug Our Fete is an annual event which has grown over many years.

It’s great day out for all the family and last year we had over 2400 people attending the event.

The Fete is held in the grounds and surrounding 19 acres behind the hospice. We have trade stalls, swing-boats, steam engine rides. St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger MK44 3RJ

August

Ugly Bug Safari -Monday 12 to Friday 16 Aug Grab a magnifying glass and join our explorer for a hunt through the gardens at Wrest Park to find a mass of fascinating minibeasts. Discover more about bugs and their habitat and create your own creepy crawly to take home. Wrest Park, Silsoe, Luton MK45 4HR

Minibeast Safari - learning, crafts and outdoors session - Friday 2 Aug Join us on a hunt for minibeasts in the park. Search with sweep nets in the long grass, look under logs and see what’s hiding on the bushes. All equipment provided.

Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Jungle Animal Finger Puppets - Summer Activity -Wednesday 14 Aug Get lost in the jungle and create your very own animal finger puppet! Will you make a fierce roaring lion? Or a gentle caring elephant? Whatever you chose, get ready for a ride in the wild. All explorers will enjoy a jungle juice and a chocolate animal treat. Tickets are £2.99 per child. Frosts at Willington MK44 3QP

Cople Music Festival-Saturday 3 Aug Proms in the playing field . Bands, Hog Roast, BBQ, Bars.

Grand finale of ’Proms’ music. Bring your chairs, blankets and flags. Playing field, Grange Lane, Cople. MK44 3TH Classic Car & Bike Show -Sunday 4 Aug The Rufus Centre Classic Car & Bike Show is getting bigger and better each year! Visitors can browse around the classic exhibitor vehicles, enjoy live music, indulge in delicious food from a variety of stalls, take a look at the craft stalls and even sneak in a drink or two at the beer tent. The

Holiday Harvest Time - crafts and learning session -Thursday 15 Aug While you’re on holiday, farmers in the Marston Vale are working hard! Find out about harvest time and make a

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Highwaymen threaten the party; will King George’s Redcoats catch the culprit? Wrest Park Silsoe, Luton MK45 4HR

corn dolly! Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS Little Creatures - Friday 16 – Sunday 18 August Specially designed for your little creatures under 10 there’ll be colourful characters, interactive storytelling, arts and crafts, outdoor theatre and much, much more! Start practising your loudest ROARRR as Raa Raa the Noisy Lion visits us and we can’t wait to meet him! ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable Bedfordshire LU6 2LF

Dunstable Rocks -Saturday 31 August Grove House Gardens, Dunstable. 12 noon to 10.00 pm.

Are you ready for this year’s Dunstable Rocks!

Get ready for 10 hours of non stop live music starting with local bands showcasing their talent.

Then prepare for an evening to remember with the band Donut, a truly unbelievable covers band who will have you dancing and singing away!

Then at 7.15 pm be blown away by Jean Genie an awesome tribute to the legend David Bowie, this is all getting you ready for the headline act 80s Icon Hazel O’Connor famous for her unique look and sound, singing the fantastic hits ‘8th Day’ and ‘Will you’

Real Arts and Crafts - Saturday 17 Aug Craft fair featuring a wide range of high quality crafts including cards, jewellery of various kinds, ceramics, knitted and sewn goods, cakes, jams, pictures, silverwork. Goods on sale have been made by the stallholder or a member of their partnership.

See www.supportbritishhandmadecrafts.co.uk Woburn Sands Memorial Hall MK17 8RH

Bucks Listings July

Music at St Mary’s Saxes en Q -Saturday 17 Aug More newcomers to St Mary’s, the saxophone quartet Saxes en Q will be performing a varied programme including jazz plus music by Gershwin. Also featuring soprano soloist Min-Min Peaker. St Mary’s Church, Eaton Bray LU6 2DP

CATS at the Milton Keynes Theatre- til Saturday 6 Jul Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Awesome Archaeology!- Monday 19 to Friday 23 Aug Let the kids get stuck into history with the chance to uncover clues and handle artefacts in the inspiring surroundings of Wrest Park. Take part in a sand pit dig to unveil secrets from the past. Plus plenty of hands on activities. Wrest Park, Silsoe, MK45 4HR

Tread The Boards Theatre Group presents "Bonaventure" - Friday 5 and Saturday 6 Jul Bonaventure by Charlotte Hastings is, on one level, a murder-mystery play but it also explores themes of faith and life choices as we are challenged to consider how we might react to our own impending death. Set in 1947 as Britain emerges from the austerity of World War II the nurses and nuns. The Chrysalis Theatre, Japonica Lane, Willen Park South, Milton Keynes MK15 9JY

A Tasty Teddy Treat - Summer Activity Wednesday 21 Aug Have fun decorating your very own gingerbread teddy. Dress them up with sweet treats and coloured icing to make the yummiest teddy around! All followed by a delicious juice and sweet treat. Tickets are £2.99 per child. This activity is an all day activity Frosts at Willington MK44 3QP

Paul Sinha at The Comedy Cow- Friday 5 Jul An evening of stand-up comedy in Central Milton Keynes headlined by Paul Sinha who was a Chortle Nominee for Best Club Comic 2013 and is one of the chasers on The Chase. The evening consists of 5 comedians all of whom regularly appear on the comedy circuit. Wonderworld, Xscape, Milton Keynes MK9 3XS

Twinwood Festival 2013- Saturday 24 to Mon 26 Aug Held annually, always over the August bank-holiday weekend, Twinwood Festival is THE largest and best, annual, vintage music, dance and fashion festival of its kind. With over 60 bands and ten venues (indoors and outdoors) within the festival site, there is always plenty of choice to suit all. Twinwood Arena, Twinwood Road, Clapham, Beds MK41 6AB

Roald Dahl Festival- Saturday 6 Jul The annual Roald Dahl Festival returns this year and promises to be a splendiforous event with lots to see. This year’s theme is all about the curious and amazing animals that live in Roald Dahl books such as the Mugawumps, the Enormous Crocodile and that ever favourate character The Roly Poly. Market Square, Aylesbury town centre HP20 2QF

Heroes and Highwaymen- Sunday 25 and Monday 26 Aug Wrest Park returns to the 18th Century as Lady Jemima hosts an entertaining day, the highlight being the local Dandies’ horse race in honour of her Ladyship! But rumours of

As You Like It Performed by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men- Sunday 7 Jul This all-male troupe of travelling players breathes new life into this summer comedy classic. As You Like It runs the glorious gamut of pastoral romance: -31-

hour long show prior to going along to Edinburgh.

The Crown, 9 Market Square, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BE

cross-dressing and love-notes; poetry, gentle satire, slapstick and passion. Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester. HP18 0JH

Shakespeare in the Park -Friday 19 Jul Enjoy an evening under the stars with a sumptuous performance by Illyria Theatre Company of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Linford Manor Park, Milton Keynes MK14 5DZ

Teddy Bear’ Picnic at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre -Sun 7 Jul Every Child carrying a Teddy Bear gets in free! Free children’s raffle for a ride on the Miniature Railway! Meet Quainton’s very own grown-up Teddy, walking around the site; have your photo taken with him! Bring your own picnic or partake of our Teddy Bears’ Picnic Meal Deal on sandwiches, crisps. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

An Evening of Fine Food - Local Food HeroesSaturday 20 Jul Celebrate the finest local produce by joining us for a rare opportunity to dine in the Manor at night. The evening begins with a glass of champagne followed by a four course dinner inspired by our local food heroes.

Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Go Back for Murder at the Milton Keynes Theatre- Monday 8 to Saturday 13 Jul Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Stagedoor Summer School - The Witches – Monday 22 to Thursday 25 Jul Jam packed with lots of fabulous stage and performance skills, and guaranteed to be fun and to take your child on an exciting journey of discovery through storytelling and improvisation. Workshops based on the fabulous stories of ROALD DAHL with lots of magic and mayhem, and a showcase performance. Stantonbury Campus Theatre, Milton Keynes MK14 6BN

Gary Delaney & Vikki Stone at The Comedy Cow- Thursday 11 Jul An evening of live standup comedy at a traditional comedy club. Sat at tables in an 80 seat capacity room this intimate setting provides an ideal atmosphere for live comedy. This night is featuring two Edinburgh Preview shows which see acts trying out their hour long show prior to going along to Edinburgh The Crown, 9 Market Square, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BE

Bird Song at the Milton Keynes Theatre Monday 22 to Saturday 27 Jul Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Quiz Night- Friday 12 Jul Join us for a battle of the brains at The Point, and pit your wits against the mightiest minds in Milton Keynes! MacIntyre are hosting a fun filled general knowledge quiz, to help raise funds for the Milton Keynes Appeal.

Why not grab your pals and join us. MacIntyre @ The Point, Coffee Shop, 602 Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes. MK9 3NB

Family Parks and Run -Tuesday 23 Jul to Tuesday 27 Aug Six week running course for families to get whole family into running over the summer holidays. For all ages and abilities.

Every Tuesday until 27th August. Furzton Lake, Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK4 1GA

Wicked Water Fun Day- Saturday 13 Jul Have a water-ful time at our wet and wild family fun day! Come along and try water related activities and see some demonstrations. Park in the car park behind Windmill pub, Lakeside Grove, Caldecotte Lake. Caldecotte Lake, Milton Keynes MK7 8HP

World Picnic- Sunday 28 Jul Annual one day cultural festival with world music, dance and cuisine. Bring seating and a picnic, sit back and enjoy. Recommended parking at Milton Keynes Shopping Centre. Campbell Park, Milton Keynes MK9 4AT

Rocky Horror Show at the Milton Keynes Theatre- Monday 15 to Saturday 20 Jul Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Twenty20 Cricket Camps- Monday 29 Jul to Friday 2 Aug Cricket holiday course for children age 5-15. Hard ball Twenty20 matches for older more experienced cricketers, fun cricket games and activities for younger less experienced cricketers. Stony Stratford CC, Ostlers Lane Stony Stratford Milton Keynes MK11 1AR

Jay Foreman & Jim Campbell at The Comedy Cow- Thursday 18 Jul An evening of live standup comedy at a traditional comedy club. Sat at tables in an 80 seat capacity room this intimate setting provides an ideal atmosphere for live comedy. This night is featuring two Edinburgh Preview shows which sees acts trying out their

Don Quixote-Sofia Nat. Ballet at the Milton Keynes Theatre- Tuesday 30 Jul Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

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Opera Brava - Friday 16 and Saturday 17 Aug Making their debut performing on the North Front with the Manor as the spectacular backdrop, they will present two operatic classics: Puccini’s heart wrenching tragedy Madame Butterfly (Friday) and Rossini’s comedy The Barber of Seville (Saturday). Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Swan Lake-Sofia Nat. Ballet at the Milton Keynes Theatre -Wednesday 31 Jul Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

August The Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular ShowThursday 1 Aug It’s fun all the way as the "Purveyors of Cool" swing into town, with a sensational show featuring The Greatest Music Of The 20th Century! Wonderful memories of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Junior in a fabulous production that continues to be successful all over the world. Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate Central, Milton Keynes, MK9 3NZ

Pictures in the Park -Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 Aug See movies like never before, in the great outdoors! Join The Parks Trust for our annual open air film festival. Go to www.theparkstrust.com for programme information. Bring seating and a picnic, sit back and enjoy! Campbell Park, Milton Keynes MK9 4AT The Bucks County Show- Thursday 29 Aug The Bucks County Show. This is a public equestrian event. Weedon Park HP22 4NN

Dora The Explorer Live at the Milton Keynes Theatre- Friday 2 to Sunday 4 Aug Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Finmere Festival - Saturday 31 Aug Featuring a fun dog show, 5k fun run, interactive dance events, beer festival with live entertainment in the evening. Also trade and craft stands, BBQ and other refreshments plus activities for children and all the family. Playing fields, Finmere, MK18 4AT

A Midsummer Nights Dream performed by the Pantaloons- Saturday 3 Aug The Pantaloons make their much anticipated return to Shakespeare with this timeless comedy.

Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Chilli Festival at the Waddesdon Plant CentreSaturday 31 Aug and Sunday 1 Sep Over 30 hand picked stalls with everything for the Chilli fanatic or the intrepid chilli novice; an exciting range of plants seeds, delicious chilli jams, exotic pastes and pickles, chutneys, relishes, plus chilli teas, cheeses and beers. A selection of world foods will be available. Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Disney Live! Mickey’s Rockin’ Road Show Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 Aug Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury. HP20 1UG MK Playday- Wednesday 7 Aug Join in the free fun and activities at this annual play event. More details to follow soon. Recommended parking located at Milton Keynes Shopping Centre.

Campbell Park, Milton Keynes MK9 4AT The Tales of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny perofrmed by Quantum Theatre- Saturday 10 Aug With live music and all your favourite characters from both Peter Rabbit tales, Quantum Theatre’s delightful new production promises a magical and enchanting experience for young and old alike. Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

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To be included in future listings

Women’s Ashes Test Match England v AustraliaSunday 11 to Wednesday 14 Aug In this year of Ashes cricket Wormsley are delighted to play our part by hosting the one and only Women’s Ashes Test Match between the teams regarded as the best in the world - England and Australia. The England Women’s team have a 100% winning record at Wormsley. Wormsley Cricket Ground, The Wormsley Estate, Stokenchurch, HP14 3YG

Email: thesticks9@gmail.com Putting ‘Listings’ in the subject line, giving details of your event and contact details.

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